by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many MVCC first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at MVCC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 75% students making it past their freshmen year, MVCC has freshmen retention rates above the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Illinois, the average is 72.64%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| MVCC | 75% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
There were approximately 1134 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 24% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 29% of the students had graduated and after eight years 31% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical MVCC graduation rate 29%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 935 | 24% |
| Six Years | 1134 | 29% |
| Eight Years | 65 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2672 | 69% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 2672 students or 69% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2672 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1398 transferred to another institution.
MVCC lost contact with the remaining 1233 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1398 | 52.3% |
| Dropped Out | 1233 | 46.1% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
The majority of students at MVCC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Moraine Valley Community College represent 50.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MVCC graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 42% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | MVCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 40% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 47.82% |
1128 first-time / full-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
25 are still enrolled.
530 transferred to another institution.
MVCC lost contact with the remaining 573 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 25 | 2.22% |
| Transferred | 530 | 46.99% |
| Dropped Out | 573 | 50.80% |
First-time / part-time students at Moraine Valley Community College represent 25.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MVCC graduation rate was 13%, and by the eight year mark, 15% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | MVCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 13% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
827 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
398 transferred to another institution.
MVCC lost contact with the remaining 419 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 1.21% |
| Transferred | 398 | 48.13% |
| Dropped Out | 419 | 50.67% |
Returning / full-time students at Moraine Valley Community College represent 8.86% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MVCC graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 36% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | MVCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 35% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
219 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
146 transferred to another institution.
MVCC lost contact with the remaining 71 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.91% |
| Transferred | 146 | 66.67% |
| Dropped Out | 71 | 32.42% |
Returning / part-time students at Moraine Valley Community College represent 16.12% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MVCC graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 20% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | MVCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 18% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 37.80% |
498 non first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
324 transferred to another institution.
MVCC lost contact with the remaining 170 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 0.80% |
| Transferred | 324 | 65.06% |
| Dropped Out | 170 | 34.14% |
